Silence
by The Writing Wizard
Summary: The pain he was experiencing was extreme and harsh, seeming to be too much for just a single knife wound and dart. His shoulder continued to bleed, but Will didn't care. He just needed Halt.
1. Chapter 1

**Silence**

**_Chapter One_**

It was a beautiful summer morning in Redmond; the best of the year so far, in Will's opinion. It was a cool day, the grass was covered in dew and the birds were chirping away, creating a sense of calmness. The Apprentice would like to say that it was his choice to go hunting in the woods surrounding his mentor's cabin, and that Halt hadn't ordered him to, but that would be a lie, and Halt had told him many times not to be dishonest, unless of course it was required for a mission. Then it was ok.

Like they said, a Ranger's life was complicated.

Tug, Will's ever loyal Ranger horse followed his partner through the dense forest, silently enjoying the warmth of the sun's rays. They continued on in silence, searching for signs of game.

Suddenly, a twig snapped off in the distance. A deep rumbling sound came from Tug's chest and Will signaled to the pony that he heard it. He knew it wasn't a greeting. No, it was a warning. Ranger horses were trained to warn Rangers when a stranger, or creature of some sort, was present.

Will scanned the area around the two of them, searching for signs of movement. He never kept his eyes locked on one position. Like Halt always reminded him, it was best to keep his eyes moving. If he kept them focused on one area he might miss something essential.

"I heard," Will whispered when Tug nudged his shoulder with his head. His pony nodded his head. Rangers were positive their horses could understand them, some, well most, Rangers found themselves actually engaging in conversation with them. Will was often a victim of this.

_There!_ a flicker of movement behind a nearby bush only a mere twelve meters away.

"King's Ranger. Step out from behind the bush and I won't harm you," Will said, nocking an arrow. Of course, that wasn't an exact promise. If the visitor posed any threat to the Ranger then he would be forced to shoot. A young man, perhaps in his early twenties, stepped out of the cover the bush gave him. He dropped his hand to the sword at his waist. Perhaps a battle school apprentice, Will thought.

"And your friends, too," Will said calmly, gesturing to a large ditch where two other boys hid.

"Aw, look. Baby found you guys. Jerome, Bryn, come out now," the first boy taunted. Two boys, both seeming to be very fit and muscular, climbed out of the ditch. They too had swords at their waists and Will noticed how both their hands dropped down to them. Warning bells went off in Will's brain, and not from the weapons. No, he'd dealt with swords before. _But the names…_

"Now, if I may ask, which I have the right to do, why are you attempting to hide from a King's Ranger?" Will asked.

"Poor baby. He's already forgotten us," the first one said.

"Oh well, we'll just have to make him remember," Jerome said, advancing towards the Ranger. The other two boys, Jerome and Bryn, quickly followed the action. Will aimed an arrow at the boy's chest. Baby, Will thought, where had he heard that? Then, like water rushing through the river, it all came back to him. The battle school apprentices who had beat Horace, his childhood enemy but current best friend. Jerome, Bryn, and…Alda! They had been expelled from the school.

Alda saw the flicker of recognition in the Ranger's eyes and smirked. "Baby remembers!" he exclaimed, swinging his sword at Will. He dodged it fairly easy, but didn't expect the next move. Like I've mentioned, these were ex-battle school apprentices. They had expert training, even if they had been expelled. Alda performed an uppercut aimed at the Ranger's head, but at the last moment readjusted his position so the sword sliced into his shoulder. Will groaned; his shirt already wet with blood. He drew his saxe knife, unable to shoot with his new injury. They continued their fight, steel clanging against steel. Will managed to cut Alda across the chest, but it wasn't anything serious. Jerome stepped in, Will now occupied with two swordsmen, failed to notice Bryn climbing a nearby tree, clutching a small dart.

Will cut Alda's calf, then smashed the hilt of his sword against his skull, rendering him unconscious. Only seconds later, Jerome had a knife embedded in his right shoulder.

The Ranger then noticed the third boy, Bryn, was missing. He quickly scanned the trees and easily spotted him perched on a branch. Honestly, he was a bit surprised the ex-apprentice could even make it that far. In a blink of an eye, a throwing knife was sent flying towards Bryn, but it wasn't fast enough.

The dart was released and found itself buried into Will's chest. Bryn yelped as the knife hit his shoulder, causing him to fall from the branch and hit his head, resulting in him passing out. Pain erupted from the small dart throughout Will's body. Sure, he wasn't the tallest boy around, in fact he was quite small, but it hurt. Already darkness was trying to claim him. Tug raced towards his master, knowing something wasn't right. Will swung himself over Tug, his body sprawled out across the saddle.

"Find Halt," he whispered into his pony's ear. Those two words, Will knew, could be the difference between life and death for him. Tug shook his head, as if he were nodding, and began running towards the log cabin they both called home. Will groaned, clutching the dart that was still embedded in his chest. The groan was really the only sound he could make at this point. The dart was affecting him, and very quickly at that. Already he was losing feeling in his lower body and slowly the same feeling came over his torso. It was strange, he thought. How could he be numb but still in so much pain? The pain he was experiencing was extreme and harsh, seeming to be too much for just a single knife wound and dart. His shoulder continued to bleed, but Will didn't care. He just needed Halt.

**_Hey, how was that? Reviews would be appreciated. I already have the second chapter of this written and I can't wait to post it. That is, if you guys want me to..._**


	2. Chapter 2

**Silence**

_**Chapter Two**_

Abelard, Halt's Ranger horse, whinnied a greeting and Halt knew it was his apprentice returning from hunting. He, like all Rangers, was curious and walked outside to see if Will caught anything for supper. The grim Ranger was surprised to see the boy spread out of Tug with obvious signs of blood escaping a wound. Halt began sprinting towards Will, reaching him just as Will swayed in the saddle and fell. Halt easily caught his apprentice, slightly panicking when he noticed the dart still in his chest.

Halt carried Will, one arm supporting his knees and the other his head. He placed him in front of himself on top of Abelard, holding Will with one arm and the other keeping a firm grip on the reins. Halt knew where they needed to go. The Redmont Infirmary.

"I need a healer!" Halt yelled as he approached the Castle of Redmont. A stable boy nodded and ran off as the Ranger scooped his apprentice in his arms. Will's eyes were shut tightly and his breathing was uneven. The stable boy came back with a woman behind him.

"My name is Wren. I'm the healer here, follow me." She spoke quickly and started making her way to the infirmary. Halt began following. When they reached an empty room, Halt laid Will down on a cot. He groaned, but his eyes did not open.

"What happened?" Wren asked, examining the dart in the apprentice's chest. Halt began to explain, telling the healer how Will had been hunting and came back unconscious with the dart in his chest. Wren nodded, taking in the information the old Ranger was giving her. She carefully placed her hand around the dart and pulled, and in one quick tug the dart came out. It came out and the tip was covered in blood. Will clenched his teeth, but made no sound other than a faint whimper. Subconsciously, Halt winced at the quiet sound of pain. Wren noticed but didn't say anything about it, just telling the Ranger how she was new at Redmont. She'd just moved there two weeks before. Halt nodded in acknowledgement, but didn't offer any questions or small talk. To many, it just seemed rude, but to the Ranger's closest friends, it was easy to see he was just worried about his apprentice. Also, on any other day, Halt wasn't the friendliest person anyway.

Suddenly, Will clenched his fist and his entire body began to tremble.

"What's happening?" Halt demanded. He had moved closer to the shaking boy.

"I don't know!" Wren yelled, which alarmed Halt. Weren't healers supposed to know these kind of things? Wren grabbed the dart and brought it near her nose and sniffed it, which Halt wanted to know why she didn't do that in the first place, and immediately dropped it and scrambled around for herbs. She pounded the different color leaves and quickly came back to her patient's side. She pinched the boy's nose and placed the leaves under his tongue, forcing him to swallow. Halt watched Will down the medicine, and grimaced.

"What's wrong with him?" Halt asked again. His voice had taken a strangely higher pitch and he cleared it before repeating the question.

"The dart…it was poisoned," the healer stammered. She hated giving any type of bad news to her patients and it was quite obvious this man cared for the boy. She briefly wondered if he was the brown haired boy's father, but dismissed the thought. This was not a time for such questions.

"Will he recover?" Halt asked. His hand was now stroking Will's hair. He didn't know when he started the action, but it seemed to calm Will and himself down.

"I'm not sure…," she trailed off for a moment, and then continued again. "The poison used causes the affected area to swell extremely. Your boy was hit really close to his lungs. Swelling near the lungs isn't good and fairly dangerous; it can cause him to have trouble controlling his breathing. The herbs I gave him should bring the swelling down but I don't know if it can save him."

Halt only nodded; afraid his voice would crack if he spoke. A Ranger was trained to know his limits. This was cutting it pretty close.

"He should awake within the next hour or so. I need to check on some other patients. Call for me if you need anything. I'll be back soon," Wren said, turning before walking out the door, leaving Halt and Will alone in silence.

Halt had noticed how Wren had said 'your boy'. Surprisingly, it didn't make him feel uncomfortable. He knew mentors and their apprentices developed strong bonds, just like him and his previous apprentice, Gilan, but he also knew that what he and Will had was more than what Gilan and he had. Halt didn't really know what it was. He didn't tend to think about personal things like that a lot. It was awkward. Too close.

He took his empty hand and placed it on top of his apprentice's, still stroking the boy's brown hair. Will's hands weren't exactly soft, like expected at his young age. Instead they were rough and calloused from constant practice with the bow. Still, they weren't old. Will was still a child, only sixteen years old. Halt grimaced again. Sixteen.

The Ranger leaned in close, so close that his breath was fanning his apprentice's head, and whispered in his ear. "You better be ok, Will, my boy."

_**How was that? Two chapters up in one day since I received a decent amount of reviews. Please continue sending feedback, it helps me write.**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Silence**

_**Chapter Three**_

Will awoke and a strange, alarming feeling raced up his arms, agitating the wound in his shoulder. He withheld a groan, his training as a Ranger kicking in. He looked around the room, studying the white walls and boring floors. It didn't take long for him to identify his location. He'd been sent to the infirmary plenty of times as a child, whether it was for a black eye from fighting with Horace, or after some crazy adventure he thought would be a good idea.

Breaking out of his flashbacks, Will sat up quickly, although he quickly regretted it. This time he couldn't help but allow the low groan to escape his closed lips. It was at this time that Will became aware of a hand holding his, as he had accidentally squeezed it when he sat up. It was rough and calloused, and the skin was tan and worn. Will allowed his hand to go limp and slowly pulled it away, almost shyly, before looking up to meet the dark eyes of his mentor.

Halt sighed, releasing a breath of relief. His apprentice was awake. Sure, Wren had assured him many times that he would wake up soon, but he felt better now, seeing the chocolaty brown eyes once again himself. However, the older Ranger easily read the pain and confusion in his eyes. Will's eyes were tinged red, looking like he had been crying, and were dilated.

A new ripple of pain flashed through his body and Will clenched his teeth and shut his eyes, waiting for it to pass. Halt moved his hand through Will's messy brown hair, slowly reassuring his apprentice that he was there._ I'm not going anywhere. _

"Easy now, Will," Halt said. His voice wasn't exactly soothing nor was it rough. It was just Halt, well a tad gentler Halt because Will knew his mentor wasn't one for sympathy. Will didn't know just how bad he looked. To Halt, he looked bad and he'd seen a lot of injuries. In all his years of working as a Ranger he hadn't dealt with poison, and the very few cases he'd seen didn't end…_nicely. _

Will just nodded and swallowed hard, his throat ached, as did his shoulder and chest. Honestly, his entire body hurt.

Halt moved a little closer to his apprentice. "What happened?" Will adjusted his body, trying to find a more comfortable position and Halt helped him, softly gripping his arm when he almost lost his balance. Will nodded a thanks before opening his mouth to speak and tell the story about the attack.

He cleared his throat and swallowed again.

He pointed to the glass of water on the small table to the side. Halt grabbed it and helped the boy take small sips.

He cleared his throat and swallowed, yet again.

Then again.

And again.

Again.

_Nothing. _

Panic flooded his eyes and Halt, noticing this, asked "What's wrong?" Will's hands went to his throat and he rubbed the irritated skin there, hoping it would help. He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound emerged.

"Your throat hurts?" Halt asked. Will shook his head. No. "You can't talk?" Will nodded slowly, fear sketched onto his face. Halt gestured for Will to sit back, but Will, being stubborn, wouldn't. Halt groaned but rushed out of the room, quickly returning with a surprised healer.

"You're awake!" she exclaimed, smiling widely. She moved closer to him but Will backed up. He didn't know this woman. Halt did seem to trust her though…after a few seconds he reluctantly allowed to the woman to fuss over him. And she did, leaving the room quiet.

"He can't speak," Halt said, breaking the heavy silence of the room. Wren's eyes widened and she turned back to the boy on the bed who was rubbing his throat. She gently removed his hands from the red skin, shushing him when he tried moving away again.

"Will, that dart, it was poisoned, dear. The poison caused your lungs to swell, temporarily of course. I'll make you an antibiotic which will help. You'll be talking again in no time," Wren explained to the frightened apprentice before giving him a small dose of sleeping medicine. Will took a shuddering breath and slowly let it out, trying to calm himself. Yet, tears still threatened to spill.

Halt noticing this, asked, "Wren, may we have a few minutes alone?", gesturing to his apprentice who was still running his hands along his throat. The healer nodded and exited the room, leaving the two Rangers to themselves.

Halt went back to his previous position, sitting next to the boy's bed. "Never thought I'd live to see a day without your endless questions." Will smiled a small smile, a very small smile, but it was something.

"Everything is going to be ok. You heard what she said, you'll be talking again in no time," Halt said, moving his hand back to his apprentice's. Will held onto it. Halt squeezed reassuringly. Will squeezed back, firm at first, then his grip loosened as he fell into a drug induced sleep.

_**How was that? Please review!**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Silence**

_**Chapter Four**_

Halt continued to sit there, holding his apprentice's cold, limp hand. He found himself listening intently on the boy's shallow breathing, making sure he was, well, breathing. The sounds of his labored breaths were the only sound in the room, minus the echo of the footsteps in the hallway.

The Ranger thought about what the healer, Wren, had said. Poison. It had caused Will's chest to swell, causing him to lose his voice, for the time being anyway, but Halt couldn't help but think of the what ifs. He always told his apprentice what's done is done, never dwell on the what ifs, but in the strange silence and the sight of his apprentice injured and unconscious, he couldn't help but think about it. What if the dart had struck somewhere else, just a bit higher? Would it have caused him to die?

I wasn't there for him, Halt thought bitterly. But he forced himself to throw away those thoughts. He couldn't go on blaming himself; he needed to be there for Will.

His apprentice stirred, moving bit, before settling down again. Still, Halt's grip on his hand never loosened, even when Will's did. He continued to sit there, watching the uneven rise and fall of the boy's chest.

Halt noticed the dried blood on his shoulder. It was a dark, ugly color. He'd seen blood before, it came with being a Ranger, but when it was on Will's shoulder, it was just awful. Even though he'd never admit it to anyone, he cared deeply for the boy. Sometimes he even thought of him as his very own son.

"Is there something you needed, Wren?" Halt asked, not bothering to turn around. He'd heard the woman walk in the room moments before, even if she was relatively quiet, to a Ranger she was loud, almost too loud.

"You do good with him," she observed, moving closer to the Ranger and apprentice.

Halt shrugged, nodded a bit, and then mumbled a small thank you. "He's a good boy," he said. Wren nodded in agreement.

"He's lucky to have such a caring father, I've seen some boys with a bad relationship with their fathers, it's just sad…," Wren trailed off. When Halt answered, he never took his eyes off his apprentice.

"I'm not his father," he said simply, quickly.

"Oh."

Halt nodded.

"Nonetheless, you're good to him. I can tell."

Halt nodded again.

"Where are his parents? Shouldn't they be informed about this?" Wren had begun examining Will again, checking his shoulder wound and tutting softly when she noticed it had been bleeding again.

"They're dead. He was a Ward here before I took him as my apprentice," Halt answered. Will groaned softly as the healer touched a certain bruise and Halt's eyes narrowed.

"Poor boy. They say family doesn't mean you must be related by blood, it's about love. It's obvious you care about him."

"I did what I had to do. He'll make a fine Ranger," Halt said again, beginning to feel uncomfortable with the conversation. Wren, sensing this, dropped the topic and began to slowly wake up the apprentice. When Halt asked why Wren explained she needed to apply a salve to his shoulder.

When Will awoke, Halt was happy to see his eyes looked a little less dilated and red. He was definitely groggy, though. Wren explained that that was completely expected, and began gathering herbs for a salve.

"Will, I'm going to put this salve on your shoulder," the healer said. Will sniffed the air experimentally, it was natural for a Ranger to use all his senses in any and every situation. His muscles tensed, agitating his shoulder and caused him to wince. He knew that scent. Back in Skandia, it was the only thing he cared for. Now it only brought nightmares.

"Will, what is it?" Halt asked, noticing the fear in the boy's eyes. Wren came closer with the salve in her hand. Will got out of bed and stood up, ignoring the black dots in his vision, and shook his head frantically.

"Don't be stubborn," Wren said. Will shook his head again.

"Will?" Halt asked. Will pointed to the salve and shook his head, mouthing the words no, still hoping the words would actually emerge and his mentor could hear him.

No words came, just as Will expected.

"You don't want the salve?" Wren asked, sounding irritated. Will nodded.

"You need the salve so your shoulder doesn't get infected," Halt coaxed, grabbing his apprentice's arm. Will tore away from his mentor's grip. Normally, Will didn't stand a chance against his mentor, but he was injured and Halt was afraid of hurting him.

Will continued to shake his head. Couldn't they understand he didn't want the salve? His face was red, he was getting frustrated.

"Will, you need the salve! Stop acting like a child!" Halt scolded. Will's face burned even more red and unshed tears settled in his eyes. Halt exhaled slowly, he normally didn't allow his stress to get the best of him. Will, seeing his mentor was calmed down, pointed to the salve again. Halt nodded. Will then acted out shivering, then pointed to the salve in Wren's hands again. He repeated the action several times.

It could've killed me if you didn't find us; if Evanlyn didn't save me. We were there for months. I was so scared. I missed you.

"Warmweed," Halt whispered, meeting his apprentice's eyes. They were full of anger. He was angry and frustrated that nobody understood him. Fear. He was afraid of the drug that claimed him the previous year. Will nodded several times, the tears streaming down his face now; tears of relief.

"Wren, does this salve contain warmweed?" Halt asked the healer.

"Of course." Will subconsciously took a step away from the woman. Halt placed a calming hand on his shoulder and led him back to the bed. Will reluctantly sat down, sitting the farthest away from the woman.

"Is it possible to get an alternative?"

Wren began to explain that it was possible, but she didn't understand why Will, whom she called a child, emphasizing the word, couldn't accept the warmweed. Halt had interrupted fairly quickly, telling the healer he'd pay extra, in which the woman had mumbled a curse word before exiting the room.

Halt turned to his apprentice and sat beside him, the mattress sinking with the added weight. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I didn't understand what you were trying to say," Halt said. Will opened his mouth to respond, but remembered and snapped his mouth shut, his cheeks burning with embarrassment. He nodded and did something that surprised his mentor, which was almost an impossible task.

He wrapped his arms around Halt and began to sob. "Hey, none of that," Halt said at first. Will's body shook and his tears soaked Halt's ranger cloak. He put his hand underneath Will's chin and gently lifted it so their eyes met. "You're going to be ok, Will. I promise you. You'll be just fine," he said. Halt's voice broke through the millions of thoughts running through Will's mind. He mimed writing on his hand and Halt nodded, grabbing a piece of paper and pencil off the desk. Will nodded his thanks and quickly scribbled something down.

Thank you, for everything.

Halt knew he wasn't just talking about the eventful day at the infirmary. "You don't need to thank me. A mentor protects his apprentice." A father protects his son. "But you're welcome." Halt put the paper down and Will took the chance to embrace him again. When Halt began to pull away, Will's grip grew tighter around his waist. Halt sighed, but there was a small smile on his face, and allowed his arms to go around the boy.

A mentor protects his apprentice. A father cares and comforts his son. Sometimes, just sometimes, Halt had to fill both roles, and he was perfectly fine with that.


	5. Chapter 5

**Silence**

_**Chapter Five**_

The Ranger and his apprentice left for their cabin shortly after, much against the healer's protest. Halt stayed beside Will, who rode Tug but was still unbalanced. They rode on in silence, for Will couldn't exactly answer (or ask) any questions other than the nodding or shaking of his head. Halt appeared to enjoy the quiet, but it was unusual, and that always put a Ranger on edge.

"Good to be heading back, isn't it?" Halt asked. Will nodded.

"Once we get home, we'll eat dinner then I want you straight to bed. No arguments. You need to regain your strength," Halt said as the cabin came into view. Will nodded again, although this time there was a bit of irritation showing in his eyes, along with exhaustion.

They did just that, Halt enjoying the stew he prepared with a cup of coffee while Will nursed a cup of tea. The healer claimed the coffee wouldn't do Will's lungs any good so he was restricted to water and tea, much to the apprentice's dismay. Shortly after dinner, Halt sent Will to bed, and then retired to his own room, hoping for a peaceful rest.

They were in the woods, tracking a killer. Will didn't know how he knew that, he just did. A man ran in front of him but he didn't recognize him. Then a mysterious figure clad in black came into view, his crossbow was drawn. Will tried desperately to call a warning out but no sound emerged. He had no weapons and had no choice but to watch the stranger release the arrow, which struck the man in the back, causing him to collapse and the mysterious figure disappeared. Will ran towards the injured man.

Halt. It was Halt. His friend; mentor; his father. Dead. Shot down by an arrow that Will saw, yet couldn't stop because he was unable to speak. It was his fault.

Will awoke with a start. He gasped and began to shake as tears rolled down his cheeks. He pressed his face into the pillow, but found no comfort. A knock at the door snapped Will to attention.

"Will?" a concerned voice called as a figure emerged. Will looked up to see his mentor. Alive.

"Are you alright?" Will shrugged.

"Nightmare?" Halt was now sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at his apprentice who kept his head down. Will nodded.

"Sometimes it helps to talk about it," Halt said reaching for a piece of paper and pencil on the small desk. The apprentice nodded again and began writing his nightmare in great detail. Halt read over the paper, glancing at the boy's eyes. They were full of fear and sadness.

"It's going to be alright." He pulled the boy into his arms, only moving when he placed his cheek on Will's head. Eventually his sobbing ceased and his body became limp. Halt began to move, but decided he would be ok where he was. Both slept peacefully that night, with Will's head on Halt's chest, and Halt's arm around Will's shoulders.

A week had passed since the nightmare. Will's shoulder had fully healed; it really hadn't been that bad, yet he still had not said a single word, much to the apprentice's dismay. Halt too, was put off by the silence. He'd sometimes forget what had happened and would go to ask his apprentice a question and then remember. Sometimes it was the complete opposite. He'd lie awake at night, thinking about it. Would he ever fully recover? Then he'd shake the bad thoughts away, or try to at least, and fall into a restless sleep filled with dreams.

Will was outside the cabin, practicing archery. Now that his shoulder was healed Halt had him back on strict training. A week might not seem that long to others, but to a Ranger it was too long. He shot arrow after arrow until he realized his quiver was empty. Will made his way to the wooden targets, carefully plucking his gray shafted arrows from each one and replacing them in his beloved quiver.

A twig snapped somewhere in the distance. Will was sure he had heard it. He looked to the left, only seeing the thick foliage. A soft mumble came from inside. The voice was soft and he couldn't decipher the words, yet he knew he had heard them. He drew his bow and pointed to the forest. He had a feeling in his chest. He knew who was coming.

Sure enough, three familiar figures soon emerged. Alda, Bryn, and Jerome. They still had visible bruises on their faces and Will felt a surge of triumph, knowing they hadn't left unscathed when he had been badly injured.

"This is looking familiar, isn't it, baby?" Alda snarled. Will wanted to talk; to tell him to shut up; but couldn't, so he just stood there looking like an idiot. Well, he thought to himself, at least I'm an idiot with a weapon.

"Speak up, would you?" Jerome taunted while Bryn snickered. Will's face grew red, both from embarrassment and anger. He aimed his arrow at Jerome's chest, but instead of releasing and killing him from the fatal injury, he quickly shifted so the arrow landed in the boy's calf. It would be painful, really painful, but nothing a healer couldn't easily fixed. Jerome howled in pain and clutched his leg. The two other boys advanced, drawing their swords.

"Let's have some more fun," Alda said, grinning evilly. He began to laugh but fell to the ground, a black shafted arrow in his shoulder. Bryn began to run, and as Will shot him in the arm, part of him wondered how these three could be so stupid, challenging a Ranger yet not paying any attention during the fight. Bryn fell too and Halt didn't seem to care that he may have 'accidentally' stepped on him as he jogged to his apprentice. He placed a calming hand on his shoulder and Will looked up, his brown eyes meeting his mentor's dark ones. His face showed a mixture of fear and happiness, a strange mix.

Without invitation, Will threw himself at his mentor and Halt instinctively wrapped his arms around the boy. When Will looked back up again, he was smiling, and when he opened his mouth, Halt found himself smiling his rare smile too.

"Halt."

_**The End.**_


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